Panama Independence Day (November 3): Separation from Colombia

November is “Mes de la Patria” — the Month of the Homeland — in Panama, and the biggest celebration of all comes on November 3, Separation Day (Día de la Separación de Panamá de Colombia). On this day in 1903, Panama declared its independence from Colombia, a move that also opened the way for the building of the Panama Canal.

Quick facts
Date	November 3 every year
Official name	Día de la Separación de Panamá de Colombia
Year	1903
Earlier independence from Spain	November 28, 1821
Holiday type	National public holiday
Famous for	School marching bands, parades and the national costume, the pollera
Hashtags	#FiestasPatrias #Panama #3deNoviembre

Panama’s November Patriotic Holidays

Date	Holiday	What it marks
November 3	Separation Day	Separation from Colombia, 1903
November 4	Flag Day (Día de los Símbolos Patrios)	The national symbols
November 5	Colón Day	Colón’s support for the 1903 movement
November 10	First Cry of Independence	The 1821 cry for freedom in La Villa de Los Santos
November 28	Independence from Spain	Panama’s 1821 independence from Spain

How Panama Separated from Colombia

After independence from Spain in 1821, Panama voluntarily joined Gran Colombia. Over the 19th century, many Panamanians felt neglected by the distant government in Bogotá, and several separation attempts failed. When Colombia’s Senate rejected a treaty allowing the United States to build a canal across the isthmus in 1903, Panamanian leaders acted. With U.S. warships nearby preventing Colombian troops from landing, Panama declared independence on November 3, 1903. Manuel Amador Guerrero became the first President.

Just two weeks later, the Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty gave the United States control of a Canal Zone. The canal opened on August 15, 1914, and — after the 1977 Torrijos–Carter Treaties — was fully handed over to Panama on December 31, 1999.

The flag of Panama was sewn in 1903 by María de la Ossa de Amador, wife of the first President, from a design by their son Manuel Encarnación Amador.

How Panamanians Celebrate

• Desfiles patrios — huge parades in Panama City and every town, led by school marching bands (bandas de música) practising for months.
• The pollera — Panama’s elaborate embroidered national dress — and the men’s montuno outfit.
• Flags everywhere — red, white and blue on homes, cars and buses.
• Official ceremonies led by the President in Panama City.
• Traditional food such as sancocho (chicken soup), tamales and carimañolas.

The Flag and Its Meaning

Element	Meaning
White	Peace
Blue quarter and blue star	The Conservative Party and honesty
Red quarter and red star	The Liberal Party and authority/law
Overall design	Unity of the two parties under one peaceful nation

👉 Plan ahead: All November holidays

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